Torres gets job done for Broncos

MIRA MESA -- The Rancho Bernardo High football team was forcedto start six sophomores in its opening game against Mira Mesa onFriday night.

The Broncos were in need of some senior leadership. Enter ArmonTorres.

Torres, who started at halfback last season before making theswitch to fullback this year, led the Broncos to a 37-0 win byscoring three touchdowns in the first quarter. The 5-foot-9,200-pounder finished the game with 57 yards on the ground and 73receiving yards.

“We expected this out of him,” Rancho Bernardo coach RonHamamoto said. “He really did a great job out there tonight. Nowhe’s just got to stay healthy.”

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Torres was ever the leader with his postgame comments:

“We have two sophomores starting at guard,” he said. “They bothstepped it up when we needed them to.”

Torres’ first score of the game -- just over a minute and a halfin -- was set up by a blocked punt. The Marauders were forced tokick after three plays on their opening drive. Chase Wagner madesure the punt didn’t go very far, though, and Matt Miller smotheredthe ball on the Marauders’ 15-yard line.

Torres made the opponent pay. He took the handoff, broke a swarmof blue jerseys and cut right, toward the end zone.

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“I think that punt block was crucial. It was an important partof the game. That gave us a big lift,” Hamamoto said.

And it certainly deflated the Marauders. They managed just threefirst downs in the first half. Sophomore quarterback MichaelCoughlin was particularly rattled, as he completed just one pass inthe first half for minus-3 yards -- he finished the game five of 16passing for 39 yards.

The Broncos settled for a field goal on their second possession,but they didn’t have to wait too long before finding the end zoneagain. Coughlin overthrew a receiver on his team’s third possessionand the ball sailed right into the hands of defensive back AndrewFerrette, a returning all-league player.

Ferrette went 59 yards, taking the ball down to the 1. Torrespunched it in on the first play.